�??��?�?�捅?�毅??�恅??�??�捅??�?� �??�??�??�?�?��??�??�捅??�� Kottankulangara Chamayavilakku

Celebrated annually in March, during the Malayalam month of Meenam, this festival draws thousands of devotees who partake in a fascinating ritual where men dress up as women to seek the blessings of the Goddess Bhagavathy, also known as Vanadurga.

The festival's main highlight is the Chamayavilakku, a ritual where men, dressed in traditional female attire such as saris, half-saris, or dance costumes, walk in a grand procession holding traditional lamps. This procession, accompanied by traditional orchestras, creates a captivating and colorful spectacle that draws numerous visitors. The sight of men transformed into beautiful ladies, all holding lamps and making their way to the temple, is both intriguing and enchanting.

Legend has it that the festival began when some cowboys, while trying to break a coconut on a stone at the site where the temple now stands, saw blood dripping from the stone. It was later revealed through astrology that the stone possessed the powers of Vanadurga, and thus a temple was constructed. Initially, young girls would prepare flower garlands and light lamps at the temple. Emulating this tradition, the cowboys began dressing as women to offer poojas, a practice that evolved into the Chamayavilakku festival.